William Merritt Chase / American painter, teacher, portraitist

CHASE, WILLIAM MERRITT (1849-1916), American painter, was born at Franklin, Indiana, on the 1st of November 1849. He was a pupil of B. F. Hays at Indianapolis, of J. 0. Eaton in New York, and subsequently of A. Wagner and Piloty in Munich. In New York he established a school of his own, after teaching with success for some years at the Art Students League. A worker in all mediums, oils, water-color, pastel and etching painting with distinction the figure, landscape and still-life, he is perhaps best known by his portraits, his sitters numbering some of the most important men and women of his time. Mr Chase won many honors at home and abroad, became a member of the National Academy of Design, New York, and for ten years was president of the Society of American Artists. Among his important canvases are Ready for the Ride (Union League Club, N.Y.), The Apprentice, Court Jester, and portraits of the painters Whistler and Duveneck, of General Webb and of Peter Cooper